The inaugural Solihull Future Ready Day brought together employers, training providers and local schools at Solihull College & University Centre’s Woodlands Campus earlier this month, offering more than 100 Year 9 students hands-on insight into possible career pathways.
Connecting pupils with employers and skills
Organised by the Solihull Careers Hub, the single-day event aimed to give pupils a clearer picture of workplace roles and the skills they will need before they begin work experience in Year 10. Representatives from a range of sectors ran interactive sessions so pupils could experience taster activities and ask practical questions about routes into work.
- Participants: over 100 Year 9 students from five borough schools
- Location: Woodlands Campus, Solihull College & University Centre
- Organiser: Solihull Careers Hub
- Employers and providers included construction, sport, social care and charities
Employers showcased jobs and practical skills
Employers taking part included locally active organisations such as Aston Villa Foundation, VINCI Building, Balfour Beatty VINCI, Graham and community partners including Birmingham Hospice and Meriden Adventure Playground. The college also ran practical taster sessions in areas such as hairdressing, plastering and health and social care.
| Employer / Provider | Focus of workshop |
|---|---|
| Aston Villa Foundation | Sport and community roles |
| VINCI Building | Construction roles and apprenticeships |
| Graham | Construction and project careers |
| Birmingham Hospice | Health and care sector insight |
| Meriden Adventure Playground | Community and youth work |
| Solihull College | Skills tasters: hairdressing, plastering, care |
Local employers report engaged pupils
Staff from participating employers reported strong engagement. A VINCI Building representative, who attended as a technical apprentice, said the session helped pupils appreciate the variety of roles within construction, beyond traditional site work.
"The students were really engaged, and I think they’ve got a lot out of the workshop. We’ve introduced them to roles in the construction industry that they may not have known about before today, such as project management, quality surveying and planning," said Harry Whale, Technical Apprentice at VINCI Building.
Councillor Heather Delaney, the council’s Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Economy, Business and Skills, described the event as a positive step for the borough’s careers provision, noting the value of employer contact in shaping young people’s choices.
Implications for schools and careers provision
Bringing employers directly into school-age careers activity aligns with national guidance emphasising employer encounters before pupils make subject and qualification choices. For Solihull schools the event offers a template for early, practical careers engagement ahead of Year 10 work experience placements.
Future iterations of the event could broaden industry representation and measure longer-term outcomes, such as whether pupils choose vocational routes, apprenticeships or particular college courses as a result. For now, organisers will judge success by pupil engagement and the strength of links established between local employers and schools.
As Solihull seeks to strengthen local skills pipelines and employer–education partnerships, this first Future Ready Day demonstrates a co-ordinated approach to helping young residents make informed decisions about their next steps.
